A wise associate once told me that it is easy to make a decision by finding reasons to eliminate choices; that the greater challenge, leading to a stronger outcome, is to base a decision on examining the high points of all choices. The Sherborn Library Trustees and Design Study Committee recently put this theory to the test and it worked most favorably.
On Tuesday, April 6, the Trustees held a special meeting to select the architectural firm for our conceptual design study to renovate the facility, which is now 40 years old. The Trustees unanimously voted to work with Beacon Architectural Associates of Boston, pending the success of contract negotiations. By this vote, the Trustees concurred with the recommendation presented by the Library Design Study Committee.
This case lent itself to testing the decision theory, as it was rather difficult to go the other route of focusing on reasons to eliminate any of our choices. By default, we were faced with awesome talents, skills, and track records of the competing firms so we could only examine strong points and best match them to our assessment of the Library's site-specific needs and future projections.
No, it was not an easy decision to make and many fine attributes must be left behind. We have learned alot by our architect interviews and deliberations. Yet we have much more to learn from Beacon's architect, Richard Smith, as well as much to cultivate in Beacon by our expectations.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Meet and Greet
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Library has invited the entire town to the interviews of the four estimable architectural firms which were the pick of the Trustees and Library Design Study Committee.
Join us at Town Hall on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. The interviews begin promptly at 7 p.m. It is likely to be a late night as each architect has been allotted about 20 minutes of presentation time and the Trustees and Design Study Committee about 15 minutes of questions and answers.
You may also opt to enjoy this event at home with friends and family, or curled up in your favorite reading chair, as the local public access station will be televising our meeting. You are likely to see a few familiar faces among the crowd, learn a few technicalities about library design, and be affected by a glimpse of the future potential of the Library.
The Library has invited the entire town to the interviews of the four estimable architectural firms which were the pick of the Trustees and Library Design Study Committee.
Join us at Town Hall on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. The interviews begin promptly at 7 p.m. It is likely to be a late night as each architect has been allotted about 20 minutes of presentation time and the Trustees and Design Study Committee about 15 minutes of questions and answers.
You may also opt to enjoy this event at home with friends and family, or curled up in your favorite reading chair, as the local public access station will be televising our meeting. You are likely to see a few familiar faces among the crowd, learn a few technicalities about library design, and be affected by a glimpse of the future potential of the Library.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Short List, Long Process
On February 23, the Board of Trustees, Library Design Study Committee, Project Manager John Sayre-Scibona, and I hunkered down in the Police Station Conference Room to develop the short-list of architects to interview on March 16. There were 17 proposals from top notch firms that we resolved to narrow down to 4 finalists, and 13 people in the room had to reach an agreement. You will be happy to hear we never once had to call in a police officer to assist.
Three hours later, the Trustees voted to interview: Beacon Architectural Associates, Durland Van Voorhis Architects, Johnson Roberts Associates, and R.E. Dinneen Architects & Planners. All applicants have been notified of this determination and so I am free to spread the word.
We put in three hours of work after spending an average of 5 hours each in background preparation for the ranking session. The selection team made this task of reading and ranking their weekend R&R. Our project manager created a score chart based on the criteria specified in the request for qualifications package and the Trustees and Committee took the information home to try it. This tool made each of us focus equally on the proposals, as color, style, personality, and captivating pictures abounded.
I am satisfied that the process worked. All of us are eager to meet the people behind the proposals.
So now my Aedicule of Architects consists of four pillars.
Your Librarian,
Elizabeth
Three hours later, the Trustees voted to interview: Beacon Architectural Associates, Durland Van Voorhis Architects, Johnson Roberts Associates, and R.E. Dinneen Architects & Planners. All applicants have been notified of this determination and so I am free to spread the word.
We put in three hours of work after spending an average of 5 hours each in background preparation for the ranking session. The selection team made this task of reading and ranking their weekend R&R. Our project manager created a score chart based on the criteria specified in the request for qualifications package and the Trustees and Committee took the information home to try it. This tool made each of us focus equally on the proposals, as color, style, personality, and captivating pictures abounded.
I am satisfied that the process worked. All of us are eager to meet the people behind the proposals.
So now my Aedicule of Architects consists of four pillars.
Your Librarian,
Elizabeth
Friday, February 5, 2010
Aedicule of Architects
We call a gathering of geese a gaggle, a flock of crows a murder, a flight of bees a swarm, a hatch of chicks a clutch, grazing cattle a herd, and family of cats a colony.
What shall we call a convention of architects? I suggest "aedicule of architects." This is how I will collectively refer to the 23 architects I hung out with yesterday. I knew they were coming to visit the Library, so I have been boning up on my archi-speak.
The 23 architects representing 22 firms toured the Library for the scheduled, voluntary walk-through our project manager arranged and distributed in the request for qualifications package. How I basked in their open admiration for this building. I think James Walker, the Library's original architect, would have blushed!
Library patrons and librarians know time spent in this building makes them feel good. But to have this analytically broken down for us by the doctors of design into the sum of clerestory, niches and cantilevers was the ultimate "AHAH!"
I now picture my aedicule of architects busily crafting proposals that will allow them to brandish their own brush-stroke on Jimmy's brilliant design.
Architects Rule (pun intended.)
What shall we call a convention of architects? I suggest "aedicule of architects." This is how I will collectively refer to the 23 architects I hung out with yesterday. I knew they were coming to visit the Library, so I have been boning up on my archi-speak.
The 23 architects representing 22 firms toured the Library for the scheduled, voluntary walk-through our project manager arranged and distributed in the request for qualifications package. How I basked in their open admiration for this building. I think James Walker, the Library's original architect, would have blushed!
Library patrons and librarians know time spent in this building makes them feel good. But to have this analytically broken down for us by the doctors of design into the sum of clerestory, niches and cantilevers was the ultimate "AHAH!"
I now picture my aedicule of architects busily crafting proposals that will allow them to brandish their own brush-stroke on Jimmy's brilliant design.
Architects Rule (pun intended.)
Monday, January 25, 2010
Owner's Project Manager
On December 1, 2009, the Library Trustees held a televised meeting at Town Hall to interview the finalists for the Owner's Project Manager position. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Trustees voted unanimously to proceed with the negotiations to hire Design Technique Inc. of Newburyport. DTI proved to have the most extensive public library experience with a strong background working with small towns, which was a factor in the Trustees' rating criteria.
DTI has prepared the request for qualifications for architectural services to be published in the Central Register on January 27. The Library Trustees' Scope of Work has been incorporated in the RFQ. The comprehensive building assessment document and technical summaries are in the process of being published on the Library's website located at Library.SherbornMa.org.
We are pleased to report this major advancement in the Library's planning to the community. We have made our 2010 grand entrance.
DTI has prepared the request for qualifications for architectural services to be published in the Central Register on January 27. The Library Trustees' Scope of Work has been incorporated in the RFQ. The comprehensive building assessment document and technical summaries are in the process of being published on the Library's website located at Library.SherbornMa.org.
We are pleased to report this major advancement in the Library's planning to the community. We have made our 2010 grand entrance.
Monday, November 2, 2009
History of the Project
The Sherborn Library is the living room of the community. The institution has served as one of the few remaining public gathering spaces for all generations to meet and find common interests or distinctions.
The Library was dedicated in 1971, a gift to the community from Richard and Mary B. Saltonstall who resided in Sherborn beginning in 1927, and who contributed to developing the Town's unique character for more than half a century. The high quality of the design and construction of the building placed it in the forefront of peer libraries in Massachusetts at the time; indeed, because of the community's fine stewardship of its preservation and maintenance, the building is still impressive.
The building is now almost 39 years old and renovations are necessary to update the space to meet the current level of standard services. The space allocated to children's services, space for media collections, and public access workstations are no longer adequate. The Library has not been updated to comply with current building code, including compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and safety and security systems. Also, the heating, venting, and air conditioning systems are original to the building and, clearly, more efficient systems are available today, including those that offer Green design benefits.
In July 2007, the Library received a $40,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The grant was matched by $20,000 from the Richard Saltonstall Charitable Foundation for a total grant of $60,000 to complete a professional building assessment and design study for renovating the building. The grant and its provisions were accepted at Sherborn Annual Town Meeting 2007.
The Library Trustees, an elected board of nine, worked with me to complete the prerequisites for expending the state grant, which is now in the Town's accounts. The prerequisites included engaging the services of an independent Sherborn citizens' committee to review the Trustees' self-study on the state of the facility.
In April the Citizens' Review Committee met with the Trustees and provided their helpful insights to our work. By July, those insights were incorporated into the Library's self-study and the Building Assessment document was filed with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) for their review. In August, we received a letter from the MBLC stating our work was accepted and that the Trustees had met all the prerequisites. We were given permission to proceed with hiring the project manager and architect who would manage the pre-design and schematics stage for updating the Library facility.
The Library Trustees are currently evaluating the nine eligible proposals from project managers and are arriving at the short list of semi-finalists. There is evidence that several firms have extensive experience working with public library facilities and are well-versed in current standards of library design.
We look forward to public presentations in the near future to describe the scope of our project. We are committed to following every avenue to the community to ensure that the character of our much-loved Library continues to reflect its people.
Best regards,
Elizabeth Johnston
Library Director
The Library was dedicated in 1971, a gift to the community from Richard and Mary B. Saltonstall who resided in Sherborn beginning in 1927, and who contributed to developing the Town's unique character for more than half a century. The high quality of the design and construction of the building placed it in the forefront of peer libraries in Massachusetts at the time; indeed, because of the community's fine stewardship of its preservation and maintenance, the building is still impressive.
The building is now almost 39 years old and renovations are necessary to update the space to meet the current level of standard services. The space allocated to children's services, space for media collections, and public access workstations are no longer adequate. The Library has not been updated to comply with current building code, including compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and safety and security systems. Also, the heating, venting, and air conditioning systems are original to the building and, clearly, more efficient systems are available today, including those that offer Green design benefits.
In July 2007, the Library received a $40,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The grant was matched by $20,000 from the Richard Saltonstall Charitable Foundation for a total grant of $60,000 to complete a professional building assessment and design study for renovating the building. The grant and its provisions were accepted at Sherborn Annual Town Meeting 2007.
The Library Trustees, an elected board of nine, worked with me to complete the prerequisites for expending the state grant, which is now in the Town's accounts. The prerequisites included engaging the services of an independent Sherborn citizens' committee to review the Trustees' self-study on the state of the facility.
In April the Citizens' Review Committee met with the Trustees and provided their helpful insights to our work. By July, those insights were incorporated into the Library's self-study and the Building Assessment document was filed with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) for their review. In August, we received a letter from the MBLC stating our work was accepted and that the Trustees had met all the prerequisites. We were given permission to proceed with hiring the project manager and architect who would manage the pre-design and schematics stage for updating the Library facility.
The Library Trustees are currently evaluating the nine eligible proposals from project managers and are arriving at the short list of semi-finalists. There is evidence that several firms have extensive experience working with public library facilities and are well-versed in current standards of library design.
We look forward to public presentations in the near future to describe the scope of our project. We are committed to following every avenue to the community to ensure that the character of our much-loved Library continues to reflect its people.
Best regards,
Elizabeth Johnston
Library Director
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